7 Highly Effective Tips For Fouettes In Ballet Shoes And Pointe Shoes

Travelling in turns usually is a problem of strength** Spend several weeks if necessary, to address the
holding the postural plumb line. If the position andabove issues, until you can do rises and releves with
movement is not correct, the turns will travel andcorrect posture and placement. Learn some Pilates
flounder.core work, and stretch and relax all your muscles,
Here are 7 highly effective tips to examine yourbefore, during and after class.
technique for fouettes and turns a la seconde:** To check your spotting, do an easy echappe
** Standing sideways to a mirror, do a few pressfrom fifth to second, turning as far as you can
ups in first position. Do you have a postural plumbtoward a quarter turn, leaving your head to the
line? If your core, your turnout, your ankles and solesfront. I don't specifiy exactly how far you should
of the foot are steady, also check to see that theseturn, because this depends on the extent your head
movements are done with no strain in the shoulderswill turn without inclining. Continue to echappe turning,
and neck.and close, leaving the head behind, until you face
** With fingertips on the barre, do slow motion pressfront, then repeat on the other side. This is just to
ups and down in retire, or a la seconde. If you canfeel the looseness of your neck muscles in leaving
do this without strain in the neck and shoulders,your head behind.
great. If there is strain, you need to build up strength** Repeat this exercise in retire or a la seconde. Use
in your core, and possibly overall. If a posturala partner, to hold the hand of your supporting side
deviation from your plumb line shows up here, checkas you turn away from the front. Again, this is to
for technical accuracy.check the neck (and shoulders) relaxation as you
** What specific technical accuracy? The basics,releve, and to check your postural plumb line in the
always. Is your turnout strong, or have youposition of your turn, and your demi plie. (We haven't
compensated by shoving your supporting heeldealt with fouette yet).
forward when you plie, changing your center of** For fouettes, use a partner in the center, to do
balance? Are you dropping back in the bottom of theyour demi plie with the leg extended devant, and
demi plie? A shorter demi plie is not a bad thing.then do a slow motion press up with the ronde de
What counts is being in good posture in your demijambe and into retire, turning a little. This is to again
plie so that you can press with your heel/foot, intocheck the postural plumb line, correct demi plie, and
the floor, and use gravity to push up, without havingease of the neck in leaving the head behind.
to make another compensation to rise into a straightThis whole process may take place over a whole
position. It's a lot more work to keep all theseyear. You will be doing your pirouettes, fouettes and
compensations/countercompensations going.turns a la seconde all the time. But as you gain
I want to make a comment here about Classicalstrength, and learn to see and feel those tiny
Stretch, the Full Body Workout and Athletes' Intensecompensations you have been doing, you will build
Stretch. On a day off dance classes, this is aexcellent work habits for these spectacular feats.
wonderful routine. It is not too hard on the legs andBallet is much harder to do wrong. If your early
back, which need to rest, it combines Pilates withtraining wasn't the best, you can back-peddle like this
balletic style for your core strength, and it fulfills theto correct technique in your advanced levels.
need for stretch and relaxation that most dancersFor any overworked muscles use an ice pack at least
neglect. Good muscle tone is not just work, work,twice a day. A homeopathic cream called Traumeel is
and more work.wonderful for soft tissue repair. Apply after icing.